The Blacker Death: An Ebola Thriller Read Online Free

sofa?”
    “Something like that.”
    Frank looked up at the sky. “Looks like rain. I guess I’d better let Mr. Perkins know everything’s under control here. He was worried about his hay field.”
    “Tell him thanks for calling it in, and thanks for stopping by, Frank. I appreciate everything you guys do.”
    “Yeah, take care, Bam.”
    I waited in the Gremlin while Frank got the fire truck turned around, and followed him down the driveway to the main road. He headed back to the station in town, and I turned right toward the entrance to the highway. The car smelled like a swimming pool even with the windows open, but once I got onto the four-lane, I cranked it up and turned the Gremlin into a wind tunnel.
    My cell rang when I was about halfway to the hospital. It was the office. I let it go to voicemail. I have a hands-free hookup, but I’m not a fan of distracted driving, especially when it’s me. When I got to the Camden exit, they called again. This time, I pulled off to the side of the ramp and answered it.
    “Matthews.”
    “Where are you?” said Fink.
    “Camden. On my way to see Billy. What’s up?”
    “Are you coming back to the office?”
    “I don’t know. Should I?”
    “That depends. Do you want to hear what Carmine has to say? His lawyer is due at three.”
    “I’ll be there.”
    I hung up, got back into traffic and drove to the hospital. They had Billy in an isolation unit on the fourth floor that they’d set up after the Ebola scare broke earlier this year. It had its own air treatment system, double doors to get in and out, and lots of gadgets. It was all just an expensive toy until Billy showed up. Then it became the toy they all wanted to play with. Billy was sitting on the edge of the bed in a hospital gown, staring at the wall. A couple of the docs were inside with him, wearing green space suits and fiddling with the wires coming out the back of what looked like an iron lung. Two others were sitting at a desk outside the glass, watching the monitors. I flashed my badge to them.
    “How’s he doing?” I asked.
    The one with the “J. Williamson, M.D.” nametag got up and gave me that “We did everything we could, but he’s not going to make it” look.
    “We don’t know yet,” he said.
    “What does that mean?”
    “That means he was exposed to someone who might have been infected with Ebola, but he’s not showing any symptoms. We’re still waiting on the blood tests of the deceased, and we’ll be monitoring Mr. Driscoll round the clock.”
    “Didn’t you test Billy’s blood to see if he’s got it?”
    “Mr. …?”
    “Matthews. Agent Bam Matthews. Billy’s my partner.”
    “Agent Matthews, it can take up to three days post-onset of symptoms for the Ebola virus to reach detectable levels. Your partner doesn’t even have symptoms yet, so we’re days away from knowing anything.”
    “How long till the symptoms show up?”
    “Two days, maybe more.”
    “How many more?”
    “The incubation period can be up to three weeks.”
    “So, he could be in here for three weeks and not even have it?”
    “That’s correct, but better here than on the street.”
    “What are the symptoms?”
    “Fever is the most obvious one. A temperature of 100° or more is a good first indicator that there might be a problem. Other symptoms are headaches, muscle pains, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, things like that.”
    “Like the flu?”
    “More or less, but that’s just the beginning. The gentleman at the hotel had progressed well beyond that to hemorrhaging and internal organ malfunction.”
    “So he had it?”
    “Not necessarily.”
    “What else could it have been?”
    “Any number of things. Once the blood test comes back, we’ll know for certain.”
    “What about the autopsy?”
    “I understand they’re still setting up a secure facility for the autopsy. If it is Ebola, it will be tricky and very dangerous to the doctors performing it.”
    “Can I go in